The Invitican Empire
The Invitican Empire is the post-emergence period of the Invitican Civilization, characterised by their oligarchical monarchy and large territorial holdings in central Aventus. Currently, it is in a state of Flux, with the Five Families dethroned and the current rule belonging to Empress Mellitas Challou History The aeon-long Peace of the Four, which preceded the emergence, had been weakened and subverted through several civil wars among the clans and tribes of Daliga, the Great Wood, the Hissing Peaks and the now-lost Sunken Garden. The White Emergence is attributed to the loss of the Peace, with the building of Invitica and the subsequent wars (The Age of False Dawn). The Invitican expansion began in the days after the False Dawn and has reached its glory age, pressing out in all directions, claiming more territory yearly with little to no difficulty. Because of the Empire's vast extent and endurance, the institutions and culture of Invitica have had a profound influence on the development of language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law, and forms of government in Aventus, particularly Daliga, and by means of Daliga’s trade throughout the rest of the Undiscovered World. In the late years of the Age of Eiollo, The High Voice established the practice of dividing authority between the families as rotating co-emperors (known as the Five Families) in order to better secure the vast territory, putting an end to the Crisis of the Noon. During the following decades, the rotation of the Five Families was worked out through the process known as the Wars of the Flowers. The Families The primary government of Invitica, The Five Families are renowned through Aventus as expansionists with Empirical desires.The title 'Five Families' is a misnomer; there are only four families and one Invai True Order, a religious organization that oversees the Families and stands as the First of Families. They preside over the rotation of leadership, and because of this, cannot hold the seat of Emperor (See Mellitas Challou for the new government structure). The First of Families Often considered the First Of Families, The True Order and their leadership, the Clergy of the Nehvia Choir is not technically a bloodline. Noblility and commoners alike may join the order, and rise to preeminence if their faith is strong and their resolve unbreakable. Led by the Voice of High, they stand back from political matters and enhance the spiritual aspects of the royalty, lending their voice to the Emperor's to give credence when necessary. The Davai (Laroux and Ashtar) The Second Family, the first to be taken in and the purest house, the Laroux family is the Main House of the Davai Powers, supported by the Ashtar (an Imperfect Hybrid family). Specializing in the trade and bureaucratic practices of the Empire, the Laroux often rule emotionlessly, their Cycles characterized by precise reading of laws and delegation of Royal Powers. In the Waxing Stage of their Rule, they tend to make their part minimal, preferring to minimalize their effect with their Barai Lords. At the Height of their Power, they aim for perfect fairness at all costs.Waning, Davai leaders tend towards lavish proclamations and total rule as they feel their influence slipping. The Zarai (Desmarais and Mazuraki) The Third of the Families, the Zarai are acutely aware of their place beside that of the Davai; because of this, their rule is often the most memorable and scarring to Invitica. The most tenacious against the Invai magics, they were crushed with the help of the Davai. In turn, they are demure to their 'betters' in the Davai families and utterly sadistic to the Challou and Hekeur. They focus on the wealth and internal politics of the nobility of the Five Families, often micromanaging and taxing the lower classes. Waxing, the Zarai are sycophantic and fawning, bowing before the Davai and supporting their agenda. However, their true nature reveals itself in their Hight of Power, where their dictatorial style and unconditional power needs emerge. Waning, the Zarai try to belittle the Ekurai as much as they can, causing genuine harm to them and their house while bleeding the commoners dry of funds. The Ekurai (Challou and Hekeur) The Fourth Family, the Ekurai were bested by the might of the Zarai forces backed by the magic of the Davai, and though now hybridized, never much took to bowing. Primarily forming from the sister tribe of the Ekeoghr, the Ekurai lead the armies of Invitica and spend very little time within the cities borders, preferring freedom and the wildness of their ancestral home. Waxing, the Ekurai are often away from their duties, avoiding the Zarai as much as possible. When forced to remain by their consort's side, they are reticent, sullen, and often surly. Their laws are spiteful and often directed at their fellow nobility. In the Height of their Power, Ekurai are strangely noble and honorbound, breaking the law if they feel it to be too strict for the situation. Brilliant warleaders, it is during Ekurai leadership that borders expand the furthest for Invitica. Waning, though, Ekurai jostle for position with their Barai counterparts, focusing on internal rankings and forgetting all about their previous glories. The Barai (Lefevre and Allonsyes) The final family taken into the fold, the Barai willingly bowed when they saw the overwhelming force of the Invai armies. Like oxen to yolk, they are the powerhouses in Invitican politics, if only for their numbers alone. The most prolific of the Families, the Barai tend to matters of colonization and domestics, the logistical masterminds behind feeding a city and a standing army. When Waxing, the Barai butt heads with their consorts in the Ekurai, jovially fighting for power without malice. They have the funds to back their gambits, and often they enter their Height of Power in good spirits. However, the work of the day to day wears the Barai down, and more often than not, they slack and allow things to fall into disrepair. This ultimately makes the rise of the Davai seem perfectly timed, and the cycle continues on. The Cycle of Five Overseen by the Invai True Order (Specifically the Voice of High and the Nehvia Choir), the Five Families rotate their rulership over the Empire. As decided in the War of the Flowers, the cycle starts with the Davai, followed by the Zarai, the Ekurai and the Barai before restarting. The cycle starts with the Married Pair; followed by the Ruler alone, and closing again with the Married Pair. Always, the cycle encourages intermarriges between the families, especially during the Height of Power. Starting from the end of the War of the Flowers, the cycle has gone thusly. Davai --> Davai + Zarai --> Zarai --> Zarai + Ekurai --> Ekurai --> Ekurai + Barai --> Barai --> Barai + Davai There have been some notable snags in the cycle of succession, generally from impotent or infertile rulers; in this case, one or both of the Imperfect Hybrids related to the Pure Families will be forced to create a 'conditionally legitimate' heir. The Break in the Cycle One generation before the current era, there was a major flaw in the the cycle of five. Rhaeran Challou, the only daughter of the Challou house, was to marry Dereius Desmarais, the eldest male heir of the Zarai families. However, Rhaeran commited inter-family incest, marrying her imperfect hybrid co-commander Gherioc Hekeur. This set the cycle off; neither the Challou or Hekeur had replacements for conditional heirs. With the Families at war with eachother in a fierce battle, almost as fierce as the War of the Flowers, The Voice stepped in and gave a proclamation; Rhaeran would no longer command the armies and step down as the Challou heir, instead serving only as general to the Home Guard. Gherioc would assume her place as leaders of the Armies. Rhaeran's child (Mellitas) would marry one of Zarai heirs, and in doing so skip their Height of power; Mellitas's child would then be wed to the Barai heir. Daily Life Daily life in the empire is normally a mundane affair; with the Davai dealing with judicial matters, the Zarai managing the courts, the Ekurai policing the city and the Barai taking care of the logistics of feeding a city, the inhabitants often need for little. Self-sufficient, the Empire trades only for specialty goods and technology. The True Order Because of their position as the First of Families, The True Order stands as a shining beacon for the citizens of the empire. Any one, from any part of the empire, might join The True Order and attain prestige and power. However, corruption is not a fear in the church; the Voice of High is always the moral compass of The True Order and it has been said that the Voice carrys with them the combined wisdom of every previous Voice; it is true that their leadership ways and commandments have not changed, nor contradicted, in over a thousand years. The Military The only recquirement for those within the empires boundaries is mandatory military service. For the three months of winter each year, ever able-bodied male is called to serve, relearning the skills of warfare. Those without homes, farms or families are encouraged to join the army to eke out a place for themselves amongst the conquored lands. Soldiers too are exempt from the high taxes of the empire. Because of this, the Invitican army is always well trained, sharp and eager for expansion. This also encourages a fondness towards the Ekurai families above all others, due to their canny leadership and often down-to-earth personages. Geography Situated in the center of the continent, Invitica is a vast, white city surrounded by farmlands and feathering out into the northern mountains, the eastern wetlands, the southern seas and the western forest. FOR LATER